Tuesday, November 29, 2016

Robin The
Boy Wonder: Dick Grayson, has his story told from the time he is ‘adopted’ by
Bruce Wayne, learns about Bruce’s’ secret of being Batman and dons the familiar
red, green and yellow suit as Robin.In this
delightful new book from Scholastic Inc. based
on the animated film from LEGO, ‘Robin To The Rescue’. Is a fun adventurous
tale Level 2 (1st and 2nd Grades) are
sure to enjoy.

Full
color photos from the film fill the book with simplified text that makes
reading the exciting story easy to understand for Level 2 readers. “Holy fun to read, Batman!”Bonus stickers are included!

If you are a big fan
of DC Comics then you are probably aware that DC has a number of TV shows broadcasting
that are based on its characters.

Despite what network any
particular show broadcasts on there is an underlying continuity and crossover with
the other shows. While some shows are more
blatant about their linkage to each other, such as Arrow, The Flash, DC Legends
of Tomorrow and Supergirl there are hints of continuity with the other shows.

The Flash TV series
was born out of the Arrow TV series when an unexplained ‘Metahuman’ explosion transformed
a number of individuals into super-powered beings, Barry Allen (The Flash)
being one of them.

The Blu-ray/DVD HD
collection from Warner Bros. explores the
burgeoning powers of The Flash and its effect on other people and Barry Allen’s
home city.

During the First
Season Barry hones his abilities, encounters other ‘Metahumans’ who use their
powers for bad, teams up other ‘good’ Metahumans and that alternate universe Earth
exist.

Along the way he manages
to gather other individuals to create a team, starts a blossoming romance and encounters
a deadly and dangerous evil doppelganger of himself.

The Season Two Blu-ray/DVD
collection delves into the ‘Speed Force’, the origin of the Yellow Flash, Zoom,
other alternate Earth heroes and villains and a threat that could destroy our Earth
and other alternate versions.

Both Blu-ray/DVD HD Collections
examine the many villains (the original Trickster: Mark Hamill returns) and heroes,
alternate dimensions and timelines and much more about the Scarlet Speedsters past,
present and possible future.

Some new and old familiar
faces crop up. Extras include featurettes
about visual effects, gag reels, a crossover event, cast and crew interviews and
much more.

DC’s Legends of Tomorrow
follows the exploits of time traveler Rip Hunter as he gathers the forces of some
of Earth’s mightiest heroes and villains to stop a plot by Vandal Savage, an immortal
madman, to rule the Earth.

Along the way the group
travels to different eras, manages to congeal as a team and thwart Savage at every
turn.

Rip Hunter, Hawkman, Hawkgirl,
Firestorm, The Atom, White Canary, Captain Cold and Heat Wave put aside their differences
and form a team to save Earth.

Look for lots of action,
adventure, betrayals and suspense ramped up in every episode.

Blu-ray/Digital HD extras
include Featruettes and a gag reel.

The ‘Gotham’ Blu-ray/Digital
HD Second Season Set ‘brings on the bad guys’ as it pits Detective James Gordon
and the Gotham City Police Department against a menagerie of villains.

Be there as The Joker,
Hugo Strange, The Penguin and other classic Batman villains get their starts. A new savior raises his head in Gotham but he
and his sister have their own nefarious plans involving Arkham Asylum.

Light and dark merge as
Gordon discovers that sometimes you have to ‘dance with the devil’ in order to get
things done.

Bruce Wayne slowly begins
his training to become Batman, discovers some disturbing secrets about his heritage
and makes a life-changing sacrifice to save his family and friends.

This is Gotham City as
it was meant to be seen: dark, dank and dangerous.

The Second Season explores
the genesis of Batman, his villains and supporting cast along with the city he is
sworn to protect: Gotham.

Monday, November 28, 2016

I made my living as an artist, or more specifically, as a
graphic designer.

I graduated for the University of Miami way back in 1977
with a BA in Art/Graphic Design.

From there I’ve held a number of Commercial Art positions
until 2004 when I accepted the position as an Art and Commercial Art teacher at
a local high school.

I’m retired now, but the art bug still bites me now and
then.

Over my long career I’ve done a lot of projects. My
specialties are illustration and cartooning. Both require that I use a variety
of pencils and media.

That’s why it was so important that I had (and have) a good,
solid, high quality supply of drawing tools.
Even today I’m very picky about what pencils I use.

Alex Brands is in
the business of encouraging young kids to develop their skills and talents.

One of the ways it does that is by offering art supplies in
various Case Sets.

One of those Case Sets is the Studios Expressions Draw &
Sketch Case Set.

It provides young artists (and old guys like me) a plethora
of art supplies at a very reasonable price.

Alex Brands prides itself on the quality of its
products. The Draw & Sketch Case
Set is no exception.

I found that the drawing pencils and color pencils meet my
picky expectations.

Here’s what you get; Twelve Color pencils, six Sketching
Pencils and three Charcoal Pencils. For
blending Pencils the Case Set also includes a Blending Stump and two
Tortillions.

Sharpening your pencils is accomplished in two ways: with a
twin Pencil Sharpener or Sanding Block.

Also included is an Eraser, a Ruler and a miniature wooden
Drawing Mannequin that is easily posed for quick reference. Pretty cool!

All of the supplies, including a Sketch Pad and Drawing and
Sketching Guide, come packed in a heavy duty Portable Case with twin latches, a
handle and indented inner sleeves that secure the Case’s contents.

All together is makes for a very desirable and functional
package that is easy to transport and store.

I really enjoyed the easy flow and solid consistency of the
Drawing Pencils along with the solid, bright and consistent color of the Color
Pencils.

The Mannequin is great for posing and it takes much less
room than the larger, more cumbersome Drawing Mannequins.

Buildings-they
are everywhere.We pass by them, admire,
live in them, work in them and play in them-they are an integral part of our
society.From
the simplest hut to the most majestic of temples, towering skyscrapers, sports
arena, private homes and so forth, architecture touches everyone.

The
time, talent, skill and pure tenacity to built some of these phenomenal structures
is often over-looked. Few people take
the time to look past a building’s façade to appreciate the understructure,
design, planning and material it took to build them.

Carlton Books/Goodman Book and author
Jonathan Glancey present the ultimate compilation of informative text and color
photos of ‘The Structures That Shaped The Modern World’

From
1900 up until current times the book traces the most significant architectural
structures ever created by man. Full historical
and technical background facts are given accompanied by color photographs of
each building.

Every
architectural style and period that occurred within that time frame is examined
in detail along with biographical information about their designers and builders.

I highly
recommend this book to anyone interested in pursuing an architectural career,
be it in design or construction.

Friday, November 25, 2016

Have
you ever visited some place and had your breath taken away by its sheer beauty
and scope?It
doesn’t matter where it is: in the country, in a city, in the air, on the
ground and under the water-regardless of the location, there are certain scenic
spectacles that inspire and astonish.

One
of my all-time favorite movies is the original Ghostbusters. The characters, story, the special effects, the
practical effects and the ghost busting equipment really caught my attention and
imagination when the movie premiered in 1984.

Running
Press presents a miniature version of the Ghostbusters Proton Pack.

Perfectly
detailed, the miniature Proton Pack features a Proton Wand that is attached to
the Pack with a hodgepodge of wires. Press
the red button on the Wand and it lights up and makes the ‘swooshing’ Proton Wand
sound!

Decorate
the Proton Pack and Wand with the enclosed decals and before you know it you’re
fighting ghosts! Small ghosts maybe,
but still ghosts.

Also
included are a Ghostbusters Sticker Book and Proton Pack schematic labeling all
the parts and a short treatise on its creation. Ghostbusters rock!

I have stars in my
eyes-literally.And it’s all thanks to Alex Brands and Scientific Explorer’s incredible
Super Nova Telescope.I’ve always been fascinated
by the heavens. Stars, planets,
heavenly bodies-they have captured my imagination since I was a young child.

Maybe that’s the reason I
like science fiction movies so much and TV shows like Star Trek and Stargate SG-1.

What’s out there? Is there alien life? Will we ever travel to the other planets and
stars and venture out into the cosmos? Will we find what we are looking for?

Today I took my first
step forward in a new adventure. With
my Super Nova Telescope the heavens have opened up to me and I am excited.

The Super Nova Telescope
is perfect for someone just getting started with star-gazing. It has everything you need to explore the
night skies.

The first thing you notice
about the Super Nova Telescope is its packaging.

A colorful, heavy-duty
cardboard box holds the telescope and its components securely in place. The entire telescope is sheathed in a double
clear plastic shield that keeps the contents safe from bumps and scratches.

The telescope body and
its main components can be seen easily through the cutout/die cut sections on
the front of the box so you immediately see what you’re purchasing.

Inside a very comprehensive
instruction pamphlet guides you through the assembly of your telescope. It’s so easy even a young child can do
it-and even an old man like myself!

All of the lens components
come with dust covers to protect the lens and the telescope tub also comes with
a dew shield and sun shield.

The main telescope body
features a objective lens hood, a finder scope that mounts on top of the main
body and bracket for adjusting the finder scope.

Besides the 20mm eyepiece
the telescope also comes with a 4mm eyepiece and 3X Barlow lens.

Telescoping legs in three
stages slide easily in place and the extension locks make for a steady tripod stationary
stand.

Other features include a
focusing knob, tilt arm for pivoting the telescope for scanning the night sky, leg
support struts for stability, a 45-degree diagonal mirror and a center adjustment
lock.

Within a few minutes I
had my Super Nova Telescope up and ready to use. The instructions made it easy to adjust and position the telescope
and viola! - the stars come alive!

I am impressed by the attention
to detail and rugged construction of the telescope. Parts move and position easily.
Focusing is precise and clear and while the entire assembly is lightweight
and easy to move it is solid and rugged enough to survive bumps without falling
over.

As you can see the Super Nova
telescope looks right at home in my man cave positioned close to the room’s
windows. I can’t wait to share the
stargazing with my friends and family.

Tuesday, November 22, 2016

You
just think you know the paranormal. Ghosts,
UFOs, hauntings, psychics, poltergeists, life after death and all the other
unexplained phenomenon that human beings have been searching for answers to may
not be what they seem.

That’s
what father and son paranormal investigators Paul and Ben Eno explore in their
new book from Schiffer Books: ‘Behind
The Paranormal-Everything You Know Is Wrong.'

Get
ready to get your brain in a tangle as they investigate ancient texts, places
of paranormal activity, strange and mysterious powers and occurrences and more
as they discover the truth behind the paranormal myths.

The
Ghostbusters would be proud!

I
love trains of al types, steam, diesel, electric, passenger, cargo, commuter-it
doesn’t matter they type of train, it’s the fact that they are trains.

Monday, November 21, 2016

You know they’re watching.
Behind those canine and feline eyes
there’s a brain that has you figured out. We only think that we own our pets.That’s what they want you to believe.

After all, who is
taking care of whom? We feed them,
coddle and cuddle them, take care of their every need and all they do is lay
around all day, eat, sleep and occasionally indulge us with a few wags of a
tail or a half-hearted meow, bark, cute pose or snuggle.

Illumination and Universal
Studios present ‘The Secret Life Of Pet’ that blows our domestic pets’
cover. It’s all a sham!

Have you ever wondered
what they do all day? At last! Their secrets
are revealed!

Things are a bit shaken
up when a spoiled domestic dog and his new ‘house guest’ suddenly find themselves
in the big city, on their own and desperate to find their back home to their cushy
lives.

Along the way viewers
get to witness just what our pets do while we’re gone to work our out with the family.

Rock music!? Food foraging!? Dancing!? A mixture
massage!? Those are just a few things
our pets are up to when we’re not around.

You do have to hand it
to them though. Somehow they manage to put
their differences aside and work together as a team to get back home.

‘The Secret Life Of Pets’
is a hilarious animated expose of what our fuzzy friends are up to when they
think no one is around.

The Blu-ray/DVD/Digital
HD Combo also includes three mini-movies, featurettes, music and more! It’s purr-fect!

Saturday, November 19, 2016

Fifty
years ago the science fiction and television communities bare witness to a new
TV series that would eventually go on to worldwide fame.Star
Trek: The Original TV series premiered on NBC in 1966 and after three years was
eventually canceled. The reason
cited? Low ratings.

However
several years later in the early 1970s the series was given new life when it
began showing in syndication.

A whole
new audience embraced the series, which would eventually go on to be relaunched
as an animated TV series, movies and several TV series.

The
series' creator, Gene Roddenberry, and the shows’ cast and crew were as
surprised as anyone.

In
celebration of the series 50th Anniversary, Titan Books presents a special new book commissioned by CBS:
‘Star Trek 50 Artists 50 Years’ featuring a foreword by director/writer
Nicholas Meyer.

The oversize
hardbound book showcases 50 new original pieces of art by 50 well-known artists.

Drawing
inspiration from the original series and its entire offspring, the artists
share their thoughts, sketches and final art in a stunning new collection of
artwork that is sure to please Star Trek fans.

Art
styles range from realistic to abstract, cartoon and more using a variety of
techniques and media--it’s a beautiful collection.

Packed
with color photos and art accompanied by plenty of historical and anecdotal
text the book is wonderful tribute to the ‘greatest comic book publisher’ in
the world. Excelsior!

DC
Comics have conquered the small screen with its current TV series like Gotham,
I-Zombie, Lucifer, Supergirl, Arrow, Legends of Tomorrow and The Flash.

In ‘The
Art and Making of The Flash’ writer Abbie Bernstein examines the popular new TV
series origin and production.

Born
out of the Arrow TV series the show follows the exploits of speedster Barry
Allen as he continues to hone and discover his abilities as the Scarlet
Speedster.

Go
behind the series and learn about character designs, costume and set designs, production,
special effects, storylines and so much more using this colorful collection of
photos, art and text as your guide.

Looking
through the book’s pages it struck me as to how complicated and technically
challenging it is to put this series together each week.

The artwork,
design, sets, exotic equipment and weapons and the entire process of producing
such a phenomenal series is truly mind-boggling.

Saturday, November 12, 2016

Movies-they’re
part of our everyday life.We watch
them at the movie theaters, on TV, cable, smart phones, tablets, online-just
about anywhere there is a screen.They reflect
our society of the times. They’re
bigger than life, slices of fantasy, red-hot pokers of social injustices, Romances,
Westerns, Sci-fi, Drama, Action-every possible genre is represented.

They permeate
everything we do, see, purchase and often represent or influence our choices
and decisions about life.

First
and foremost movies are a business. Studios-big
and small-hope their movies make a profit.

Whether
a film is a blockbuster or a bust they all require advertising.

When
movies first started advertising venues were few and far between. This forced movie studios and theaters to
devise clever and attention grabbing advertisement.

That
was no more apparent than in newspaper advertising.

Author John
McElwee and GoodKnight Books present ‘The Art Of
Selling Movies’ that explores in great depth how newspaper and print advertising
(coupled with clever theater and drive-in décor and events) sold movies to the
public.

Discover
how the advertising transformed over the decades up until the 1960s when it
took a slow and painful fall to almost total obscurity.

Print
advertising for movies has dwindled to a trickle, replaced by technical mumbo-jumbo
on the web, TV and even at the movies themselves.

The
book make for a fascinating read as you get to explore the ingenious and clever
ways movies were promoted. Factual and historically
laced text is complemented by black and white and color reproductions of print
advertising and movie displays.

Thursday, November 10, 2016

How do you deal with outdated engines and light
armament? That’s the dilemma that Italian
pilots faced during WWII.

The solution? Install a copy of a V-12 aero-engine by the
Germans. Viola! With the more reliable engine, the extra
speed made up for the inadequate armor and made every bullet count.

Check out the 1/48 Scale "Shidenkai No Maki"
Macchi C.202 Folgore Limited Edition model kit from Hasegawa Hobby Kits. The Da Vinci tiger strip Macchi C.202
Folgore is all business with its single pilot cockpit, sleek design and small
profile.

Throw in a little Anime/Manga decoration and influence and
you have a model kit that model makers will love, as will Japanese Anime/Manga
fans.

Made from carbon fiber and sporting a twin-turbo V* engine
the Nissan R89C had its problems, but Hasegawa Hobby Kits believes in second
chances-so the car has a new life as a model kit.

You can’t help but be impressed with its body style and
shape, twin rear fins, oversize wheels and tires and full interior and exterior
details.

Five part trees (and body chassis) are included with easy to
detach parts with little of no flashing (like all Hasegawa Hobby Kits). Killer
decals come with Assembly Instructions that makes putting this killer model
together a real treat.

Wednesday, November 9, 2016

Are you
looking for a new career? Do a great
salary, perks, free housing and meals appeal to you?How does
working with a ‘great bunch of guys’ who have the same goals (and appearance)
as you appeal to you?

Then
the Empire is for you! Headed up by powerful
CEO aided by his ‘force’ful assistant, the Empire is the greatest power in the
universe that constantly ‘expands’ its service and products.

Sign up
today for the Stormtrooper school. Interested?

Scholastic Inc. is offering a LEGO Star
Wars The Official Stormtrooper Training Manual that prepares you for you life
as a ‘clone’ er-employee, of the Empire.

Included
with the exclusive LEGO Stormtrooper figure is everything you’ll need to become
a minion of the Empire.

Inside
you’ll discover full instructions of the use of your Stormtrooper armor along
with its functions.

Expand your military tactics, weapons and transportation
knowledge. Brush up on key figures in the
Empire and there’s even an activity book, with notepad, so you can hone your
skills.

So,
if your goal is to become a willing pawn of an evil galactic Empire then this
advanced guide to the galaxy and training manual are for you.

Wednesday, November 2, 2016

There’s
something forlorn and haunting about long abandoned buildings.Sad really.If
you think about it and come to realize that people worked and lived in such
buildings, it’s almost as if their ghosts haunt the abandoned places.

On
the other hand old, decrepit buildings hold a special fascination. Behind the cobwebs, dust, strewn about
furniture or equipment, graffiti and intrusions by beast, birds and bugs explorers
get the sense as if they are traveling to the past.

I
am one of those people who love watching videos on You Tube that feature urban
explorers, seeking out and. sometimes clandestinely, delving into the dark and
dank rooms and corners of old, long forgotten buildings.

Jonglez Publishing has just
released a trio of books that take urban exploration one-step forward.

Matt
Van der Velde dared the dust, dirt, decay and danger to explore old ‘Abandoned
Asylums’, and documented his discoveries.

Join
Matt as he chronicles the past of several famous and infamous asylums providing
interesting historical backgrounds coupled with haunting (and sometime
disturbing) photos of each asylum.

Follow
him as he explores children wards, medical facilities, rooms, wards, offices, chapels,
restrooms, kitchens, hallways and other rooms long since falling into decay.

I
could almost smell the mildew and decay around me as I joined Matt on his quest.’
After The Final Curtain’ compiled by Matt Lambros, explores the fall of the American
Movie Theater.

I’m
old enough to remember (just barely) the heyday of the American Movie Theater. Not merely rooms with screens, the classic
American Movie Theaters were decorated and furnished to the hilt.

Ornate
wall hangings and decorations, embellished ceilings with beautiful plaster work
and lights, lush theater chairs, balconies and more guaranteed that the movie-goer
got more than their money’s worth when he or she went to watch a film.

In
his book Matt explores a number of classic theaters (some derelict, some under
renovation and some fully restored).

Marvel
at the lush surroundings, lavish screens and curtains, luxurious seats and accommodations
and try to picture in your mind enjoying a film in just such a place.

Many theaters have seen better days. Travel
the lobbies of old and derelict theaters.

Take in the tragic sight of demolished lobbies, dilapidated seats, crumbling
ceilings and walls and projector rooms with rusted and broken equipment.

In
this age of lightning speed advancement in all areas of technology and applied
sciences and coupled with the rush and hurry state of our society its easy to
forget the past.

History
seems to play a small part in our modern society and it’s a shame. Paraphrasing a famous quote, “Those who fail
to learn from the past are destined to make the same mistakes again.”

It’s
important to appreciate the past and those who lived in it. Sadly many of the buildings, institutions
and architectural wonders of yesteryear are crumbling into obscurity.

This
is true in United States and around the world.

Author
Matthew Emmett has traveled the globe visiting old factories, homes, power
stations, barns, castles, military installations and the like and taking photographs
complemented by historical text background information.

Take
the time to look through each page carefully, immerse yourself in times past
and let your imagination take hold. Picture
people rushing about intent on their individual tasks. Imagine them clothed in period costumes and
fashions and just for a moment place yourself in their shoes amidst the dust
and decay.

The
past will come alive as will your appreciation for it. ‘Forgotten Heritage’ is a fascinating journey
to times past and it’s well worth the trip.